There is nothing more exhilarating and worthwhile than putting on a killer live music performance. It’s the single most effective way to convert new fans and win over your audience. But before you let your musical beast loose up on stage, there is a lot to consider when preparing for your show. Your live setlist brings many points to be considered.
Today I’m going to discuss how to construct your live setlist to ensure a successful concert from the opening song to the encore. Many artists and bands who are just starting out in their gigging career tend to overlook the importance of considering the order of songs in your live set. Don’t make this mistake. Craft your live setlists wisely.
Song Order: It’s All About Energy
Every song brings a certain level of energy. This should be the first factor to consider when determining the order of your songs. Some songs are loud and fast, others are soft and slow, some fall somewhere in between. It often takes a couple of performances to determine where your songs actually fall within the spectrum of your set.
The general approach is to start at a high energy level, then bring things down for a bit, then have a mid-set spike in energy, then back down again, then finish the set with a bang. See the diagram below:
You don’t want to change energy levels too abruptly. You want to ease the audience from one song to the next. Try and find songs that work well as transition songs — something to work between the high energy and low energy points in your set. Don’t go from hard to soft too quickly. A sudden drop in energy level can quickly kill the excitement in the room. A sudden jolt of noise right after a soft tune can cause your audience to find a better listening location — possibly at the next bar! Harness the flow of energy and sense when you’re audience is ready for a change of pace. Then ease them into it with a transition song.
Vary the Mood
Energy level is important. But so is the mood. Great songwriting is all about capturing emotions. Hopefully the songs in your set will present a variety of emotions and subject matters. Mix it up as much as possible here.
Don’t bunch all of your sad songs together, or all your political songs together. Don’t make the first half of your set packed with fun-loving songs about surfing, and the second half of your set all about your demons within. Unlike smoothing the transition of energy levels, you want to show your versatility here by flipping between subjects and moods quickly.
Most of your audience could be first-time listeners. Show them what you’re all about in the little time you have to convert them. Varying the mood is a great way to keep things fresh while staying within one energy level. For example you might play two soft songs back to back, but the first is a haunting introspective piece and the next is a sweet love song.
Consider the Key and Tempo
Another thing to consider is which key each of your songs are in. If you have several songs in the key of E minor, it may not be such a great idea to play them next to each other. Changing the key from song to song can create a sense of variety and progression - even if this is sensed subconciously by your audience. Too many songs in the same key can give the impression that many of them sound the same.
Tempo is another key factor in determining the order of your songs. It’s common to start off a set with something up-beat. Personally, I also like to follow with another fast-paced tune for the second song. This sets the excitement level for the rest of the set. Be mindful of abrupt changes in tempo from song to song. Sometimes this may work well, but sometimes not. Use your best judgement in conjunction with implementing the tips mentioned above.
Some Practical Tips
When creating the set list, I like to write down a random list of all of the songs I want to incorporate into the set. Then I’ll visually pick from that list, and compile the final ordered set list. This way I don’t miss anything.
It’s best to write up the final set list using a dark black marker and large letters. Even better, use a computer printout with a large bold font. The lights can go in and out when you’re on stage and you want to be sure you can easily see which song is coming up next.
Stay tuned in to what works and what doesn’t. Take feedback from your audience after the show or your manager to get a feel for which parts of the song order were effective, and which ones may need tweaking. I personally like to vary set lists from show to show as much as possible, but it’s always good to know which songs generally work well when played next to others. If you play a different set every night, post the latest set list to your website! This is a great way to keep your online audience interested and it builds anticipation for your next performance.
Just like everything else in the world of songwriting and performance, everyone has their own style. I’m interested to hear what works best for you when it comes to writing set lists. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.
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02/5/2009
7:33 pm
Mad Stratter
Great advice.
There is as much of an art to organizing the setlist and setting the vibe for the course of the night as there is in writing each song individually.
I’ve seen great bands play terrible shows when they don’t take this into account. Likewise, a band who’s material isn’t all that great can really make a great impression by carefully formulating their setlist.
I’ve found that the same pattern of energy and mood you’ve described above is the best I’ve heard yet.
02/6/2009
11:07 am
Mr. Kraft Singles
Also, stage props is an absolute plus.
I don’t mean clowns or horns neither.
I’m talking something relevant to the song. Something to keep the fans and listeners interactive with the show.
02/6/2009
11:09 am
Brian Casel
Pyrotechnics!
02/7/2009
5:52 pm
Mr. Kraft Singles
^
LOL!
02/8/2009
3:44 pm
Great White
I’m not too sure about the pyrotechnics, guys.
02/8/2009
6:56 pm
Mad Stratter
The Kottonmouth Kings played at a festival I was at years ago, and they brought out ganja plants on to the stage… giant, 6 foot tall, delicious looking ganja plants.
Is that the kinda prop you’re talking about?
02/8/2009
8:26 pm
mark
I have found that a sudden change in tempo in a gig can help the atmosphere as well, it has to be well timed, after a flurry of very high tempo tracks, to suddenly drop into something melodic/clean/slower section can help the crowd to relax into the gig and then get ready for the next big mid tempo driver that comes in the set.
i know this works well for metal / death metal, i really enjoyed your tips though, very nice.
02/11/2009
11:40 am
Bing Futch
Great post!
Also, be prepared to change things up on the fly. The best-made set-lists of mice and men may still not do the work you expect them to; and if you see (or hear) the audience seeming to want something different, dialing into that and delivering ‘what the people want’ can help save your set.
This doesn’t mean play “Freebird” when that one guys shouts it out. However, if someone shouts out “do some reggae” and a majority of the crowd roars in agreement; if you know some reggae - shoot for it. Instant gratification and interaction with a performer is something that audiences love - and will reward with hanging out longer.
02/11/2009
10:10 pm
Brian Casel
Good points Bing. Always be prepared to change it up on the fly.
Plus, you should be prepared for sudden time constraints. I’m sure we’ve all experienced a set being cut short by a venue who is disorganized and runs off schedule. That always sucks.
02/12/2009
11:24 pm
Mr. Kraft Singles
Also don’t be discouraged if a few people exit early. Sometimes people just need fresh air or a smoke.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard artists plead that “the show’s not over yet or we’re just getting started.”
Also: I didn’t mean pyro acts on stage whatsoever lmao. I meant if you do actions that go hand in hand with the lyrics. That is always a +++.
Things like inviting a lovely lady on stage to sing to her or…. incorporating different actions with the lyrics of the songs. That’s where creativity kicks in and separates the regular performer from the sellout showcase.
02/15/2009
8:00 am
Rob Wallace
When I had a jazz trio before I started composing film music, we followed this formula; however, seeing it spelled out, there are some fine points like the paragraph concerning keys that we were never aware of. This is excellent usage of the public’s support.
02/15/2009
9:53 am
Brian Casel
I think considering the key of the songs is more important in a jazz trio set than it might be in a rock or singer-songwriter set. Thanks for the comment Rob.
02/15/2009
11:34 pm
Mad Stratter
I’ll definately agree with that last comment, Brian. Especially to the ‘uninitiated’, adjacent jazz tunes in the same key may bore the audience, more so than rock, folk or blues, for example.
02/15/2009
11:57 pm
Tucson Bass Player
We recently formed mini sets 3-5 songs and we took a lot of time to structure the transitions between songs. We can mix these mini sets into complete sets, always changing them so the regulars don’t get bored. It also cuts down on trying to talk your way around between songs every 3 minutes. Just slam out 20 minutes worth at a time. It goes over great!
02/16/2009
10:49 am
Utah Joe
A thoughtful article. I think you’ve presented some worthwhile ideas here. Thanks.
02/16/2009
11:02 am
Brian Casel
Love the 3-5 mini set idea… I have found in many of my bands that we tend to consistently group certain songs together within the set. Sometimes two songs just always work well when played next to eachother. Also very popular to do that kinda thing in a jamband situation.
02/17/2009
12:08 pm
enishmarati
It’s also pretty important to pay attention to the fans you already have. It can be hard to find the balance between playing fan favorites and mixing it up for those fans who simply don’t like certain songs, but it’s necessary. Also, don’t play the same set every time. Especially if you’re a small local band with a small local following- they will get sick of it after a while.
03/16/2009
2:42 am
Mark Steven
Excellent article, thanks.
I’ve found that you can retain the intensity even when you drop from full-on into something lower tempo. I’ve seen many performances where a band or performer has done magical things by going from high energy to high emotion (ie. slow tempo) and really held the audience in the palm of their hands . . . not many can pull it off successfully though
Great stuff!
04/5/2009
9:49 am
Taco Billy
The Sinchiladas did a 4 hr. show last weekend and performed all tunes in alphabetical order from start to finish, although not recommended, the night was well paced.
Taco Billy
04/23/2009
9:28 am
Gerry Mercer
This is great advice, man. I’m always the dude tasked to come up with the set list and I usually struggle with it.
I put a lot of thought into pacing the set and finding songs that minimize downtime caused by capo use (and subsequent tuning) and other awkward breaks in the set. I can usually fill in time with an irish jig or just crowd banter (SOCIABLE anyone?), but I’d rather keep things chugging along as much as I can. I hadn’t thought of the psychology of putting songs in the same key together, outside of running them together into some kind of medley. Good call!
Ger
Rocket Lounge
05/20/2009
5:05 pm
Mark Steven
Another thought, what about arranging your song list around the circle of fifths? Anyone thought of what kind of effect that would have on an audience subconsciously? So, one song in A, the next in D, the next in G, the next in G . . . etc. Hmmm, I might have to look into that and see if it provides any kind of fluency . . .
07/1/2009
11:02 pm
Taco Billy
I like the circle of fifths idea, backwards for guitar its the circle of fourths….creepy huh? Fucking guitarists, easy for everyone to play, gruesome for anyone to play really well. Just make sure to have a nice///intro, nice///outro, (per set). No one cares anymore, be satisfied playing period. I want Patty Blegovich on my stick by the next season of get me out of here, I’m a celebrity.
07/2/2009
9:29 pm
Ganja Skateboard
Very nice. Thanks for this.
08/14/2009
9:33 pm
Metfan94
When I’m writing the setlists for my band, I always put in some drum solo, bass solo, medley, guitar solo and guitar duel, this REALLY works out well.
09/29/2009
8:17 am
situationism
Bands STILL do drum solo’s? LOL